Ashinaga Africa Initiative (AAI) 2027: Fully Funded International University Study and Leadership Program for Orphaned Students from Sub-Saharan Africa

Ashinaga Africa Initiative (AAI) 2027: Fully Funded International University Study and Leadership Program for Orphaned Students from Sub-Saharan Africa

The Ashinaga Africa Initiative (AAI) is accepting applications for its 2027 cycle, but the route depends on the applicant’s language group. This is important because the current opportunity is not one single undergraduate application with one universal deadline. Ashinaga’s Francophone route is the Programme d’Orientation 2027, which prepares selected students for master’s applications in France. Ashinaga Brasil’s Lusophone route is the AAI 2027 Turma 14 selection for undergraduate study in Brazil.

Both routes serve the same broad mission. AAI supports students who have lost one or both parents, have strong academic potential, need substantial financial help, and intend to return to Sub-Saharan Africa to contribute after their studies. Ashinaga describes the support as full financial support for international university study, including tuition, accommodation, travel costs, and other necessary expenses. The current route pages also make clear that selection is competitive and that passing an initial application does not automatically guarantee the final scholarship.

This page is a current-cycle guide, not an invitation to use the old 2026 undergraduate description. The official application material now contains different requirements for Francophone and Lusophone candidates, so applicants should read the route that matches their situation before collecting documents or submitting a form.

Key Details at a Glance

The metadata deadline is the later Lusophone deadline so that the listing remains live while either current route is accepting applications. The Francophone route closes earlier, on 16 August 2026, and that cutoff remains visible in the body. Applicants should use the official route-specific form, not rely on the single date shown in a listing card.

What the Current Cycle Funds

Ashinaga’s main AAI description says that support covers university tuition, accommodation, travel costs, and other necessary fees. That is the right high-level description of the award, but it should not be read as an unconditional cash grant. The Francophone 2027 form says that participation in the orientation program does not guarantee automatic receipt of the complete AAI scholarship. It also says that Ashinaga covers costs connected to the orientation itself, including examination, application, and internet costs. University admission and visa responsibilities remain with the candidate.

The Francophone route is aimed at a master’s degree in France. A selected candidate works through academic preparation, university applications, and the program’s selection process before the final scholarship decision. The official form says that only some candidates will receive the complete scholarship and that the decision will be made in June 2027. Candidates who already hold an offer from a French university with tuition exemption may still apply, but they should disclose that situation in the form.

The Lusophone route is different. Ashinaga Brasil says that current scholars study at participating universities in Brazil through the PEC-G university placement pathway. Candidates can indicate a first and second preference for course and city, but they cannot choose the university; placement depends on ranking and available places in the relevant competition year. The page states that the basic costs of the scholarship are covered and publishes the current monthly amounts as R$2,500 for residence in the São Paulo metropolitan region and R$2,200 outside that region. Those are published August 2026 values, not a promise that every applicant receives the same amount regardless of placement.

The preparation requirement is part of the program, not an optional add-on. The general AAI program structure describes a preparation year between selection and university enrollment, with academic, personal, and professional development. Ashinaga also expects scholars to complete leadership work, an Ashinaga Proposal, and at least one internship in Sub-Saharan Africa during their studies. The Brazil page describes a six-to-eight-week African internship and says that support for internship costs may be requested as part of the program.

Who Can Apply

Francophone route

The live Programme d’Orientation 2027 form lists these requirements:

• You have lost your father, mother, or both parents.
• You are a citizen of Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon in the Francophone stream, the Central African Republic, Comoros, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal, Seychelles, Chad, or Togo.
• You completed your licence in 2026 or will complete it by June 2027 at the latest. If you are not enrolled in university and do not already hold a licence, the current form says you are not eligible for the Programme d’Orientation 2027.
• You were born after 1 September 2001.
• You do not have the financial means to pursue a master’s degree in France.
• You are fluent in French.
• Your baccalaureate average is above 14/20 or your state-exam result is above 75%, and you have excellent university marks.
• You can take part in online sessions from September 2026 through June 2027 using a computer and stable internet connection.
• You have no dependents who would interfere with your studies, are in good health, and can study internationally.
• You intend to return home or elsewhere in Sub-Saharan Africa and contribute actively after graduation.

The current form also excludes master’s study in medicine, dentistry, veterinary science, pharmacy, public health, biomedical fields, and related health disciplines. It does not support law except business law. These exclusions apply to the current Francophone pathway and should be checked carefully before choosing a proposed field of study.

Lusophone route

Ashinaga Brasil’s current Turma 14 page lists a different profile. Applicants must have lost one or both parents, be no older than 22 by 31 December 2026, and be nationals of Angola, Cabo Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, or São Tomé and Príncipe. They must have completed secondary school with a final overall average of at least 65% (13/20) and a Portuguese-language average of at least 65% (13/20). They must lack the financial means to attend university, be able to complete the one-year AAI preparation program before university, be in good health, and commit to returning to their country or another Sub-Saharan African country after graduation.

The Brazil route also says that applicants cannot have Brazilian parents or Brazilian nationality. Its current university pathway is undergraduate study in Brazil through PEC-G, and the funded course options can vary with the participating institutions and available places. Ashinaga Brasil does not accept medicine or law for this scholarship and may ask a candidate to choose another field.

How to Apply

Start with the route that matches your language and intended study level. Do not submit the Francophone master’s form if you are applying for the Lusophone undergraduate route, or vice versa.

For the Francophone route:

1. Gather the required documents: a passport-style photo, passport or identity card, birth certificate or extract, proof of a parent’s death or disappearance, baccalaureate certificate and detailed exam transcript, university enrollment proof and transcripts, and any optional certificates for activities, training, employment, or other commitments.
2. Scan or photograph the documents in PDF or JPG format and check that every file is readable and complete.
3. Submit the Programme d’Orientation 2027 application online through the form linked from Ashinaga’s official page. The form closes on 16 August 2026 at midnight GMT, and no application fee is charged.
4. Answer the academic, financial, leadership, study-plan, and community-impact questions carefully. The form requests short answers, three longer essays, and a video of no more than three minutes. Shortlisted applicants may be asked for a further video, then invited to an individual interview.
5. If selected for orientation, participate in the online program from September 2026 through June 2027. The form says Ashinaga is considering a two-week in-person meeting in Dakar. Keep working on the French university and Campus France or visa steps because those remain the candidate’s responsibility.

For the Lusophone route:

1. Open the Ashinaga Brasil portal from the official IAA page and complete the eligibility verification.
2. Upload the requested identity document, death certificate or official alternative, and secondary-school transcripts. Ashinaga Brasil says the verification is reviewed within seven working days.
3. If the eligibility check is approved, use the portal link sent by email to complete the full application.
4. Complete the online evaluation process, which can include a Portuguese-language test, subject-knowledge test, a project, and an individual interview. The page says that up to five candidates are selected for the program at the end of this stage.
5. Submit by 25 October 2026 at 21:00 Brasília time. The application is free, and documents must be submitted in Portuguese.

Documents and Preparation

The documents are not a formality. Proof of orphan status is central to both routes, and Ashinaga says that an official alternative such as a court record, sworn statement, or official local-government letter may be considered when a death certificate is unavailable. Applicants should confirm the accepted substitute with the relevant route before filing.

Academic records must be detailed enough for the selection team to assess the stated thresholds. Francophone applicants should collect the baccalaureate or state-exam certificate and subject-by-subject results, university transcripts, proof of enrollment or licence completion, and evidence of their proposed master’s direction. Lusophone applicants should keep the required secondary-school records for each listed school year and ensure that the Portuguese result is visible.

The written work should connect three things: the applicant’s actual experience, the problem they want to address, and the training they need to do useful work after graduation. Ashinaga’s selection material emphasizes academic potential, leadership, community engagement, communication, and fit with the AAI mission. Specific examples are more useful than broad claims about wanting to help Africa. Describe what you did, who benefited, what changed, and what you learned.

Also plan for the practical demands. The Francophone route requires reliable online participation over the full orientation period. The Lusophone route requires a year of preparation before university. Both routes involve international study, adjustment to a new environment, continuing academic work, and an expectation of contribution after graduation. An applicant should be ready for that commitment before submitting the form.

Important Conditions to Understand

AAI is not simply a payment toward any university a candidate chooses. The current French form makes the final scholarship selective and keeps university admission and visa work with the candidate. The Brazil route uses a university placement system whose available institutions and courses can change by competition year. A candidate’s preferred city or course is not the same as a guaranteed placement.

The return commitment is also substantive. Ashinaga’s program structure asks scholars to develop an Ashinaga Proposal based on a real issue in their community or field, carry out research, and build a realistic advocacy or social-entrepreneurship solution. Scholars receive support from Ashinaga staff and peers, but the proposal is meant to be grounded in the conditions they understand rather than copied from a generic development theme.

Finally, never pay an intermediary to submit an AAI application. Both the official Ashinaga page and Ashinaga Brasil state that the application process is free. If a person or organization requests a fee in exchange for access, selection, or submission, that request is not an official AAI requirement.

Official Links and Next Steps

• Ashinaga Apply to the AAI: https://www.ashinaga.org/en/our-work/ashinaga-africa-initiative/apply-to-the-aai/
• Ashinaga Programme d’Orientation 2027 form: https://form.jotform.com/AshinagaAAI/programme-orientation-2027candidat
• Ashinaga program structure: https://www.ashinaga.org/en/our-work/ashinaga-africa-initiative/program-structure/
• Ashinaga Brasil AAI 2027 route: https://www.ashinagabrasil.org/programas/iaa

Use the first link to confirm the route and any notices, then use the relevant application form. The 2027 cycle is open with separate deadlines: 16 August 2026 for the Francophone orientation route and 25 October 2026 for the Lusophone Brazil route. Check the official source again immediately before submitting because route instructions, document formats, available university pathways, and selection details belong to Ashinaga and Ashinaga Brasil.